Material elevator assembly with dusttight swingable chute



Jan. 22, 1952 J LE oy 2,583,488

MATERIAL ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY WITH DUST-TIGHT SWINGABLE CHUTE Filed Sept. 30, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET l 13 1213.1 I f 4 k q 3G E: I

INVENTO/QQ FRANKLIN J:

* HTT Y Jan. 22, 1952 ROY 2,583,488

MATERIAL ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY WITH A DUST-TIGHT SWINGABLE CHUTE Filed Sept. 50, 1948 2 SHEETS-Sl-XEET 2 [N VE/Y TOE .FRANKLJN J. LE; Roy,

HTT'X Patented Jan. 22, 1952 MATERIAL ELEVATOR ASSEMBLY WITH DUSTTIGHT SWINGABLE CHUTE Franklin J. Le Roy, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Ohio Application September 30, 1948, Serial No. 51,874

7 Claims.

1 This invention relates to an elevator particularly adapted to elevate and distribute fine granular material such as sand or the like used to make glass, or to elevate and distribute any fine material, or relatively coarse granular material having fines therein.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for elevating and distributing material preferably of the above mentioned type to any one of a plurality of selected receiving chutes while providing an effective seal for the material when delivered to any chute.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved distributor particularly for fine material with effective labyrinth type sealing means which in the most specific embodiment of the invention includes a fluid like sealing material in the labyrinth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a distribution chute which may be manually adjusted and in which an improved roller type guide is provided adjacent the distribution chute connection to a main chute which provides for relatively free adjustment of the distribution chute.

A further object of the invention is to provide a protecting top cover for an adjustable distribution chute and the associated seals and/or guide means.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, the novel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away, showing an elevator incorporating the features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with the protecting cover omitted;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view showing particularly the distribution chute and associated mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a view. with parts in section, taken generally along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, there is a granular material elevator [0 which includes a frame ll providing a substantially totally enclosing housing and including spaced upright corner angle members and reinforcing diagonal members with housing forming enclosing plates. The housing frame II is essentially of standard construction. Within said housing Ill there is elevating mechanism which may be of the bucket type including endless chain means l2 which travel between a head sprocket l3 and a foot sprocket M. The bucket elevating mechanism will be of essentially standard construction well known in the art.

The material to be distributed is received by the buckets of the elevating mechanism 12 through an elevator feed chute l5 and will be discharged from the buckets into a main spout or chute [6 (see Fig. 3). The head sprocket I3 is driven from a motor ll through a conventional drive mechanism I8.

As clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings the main spout I6 is circular at its bottom and provides a, discharge opening which communicates with the circular top feed opening of a distribution chute [9 which is inclined downwardly from its top circular receiving opening and terminates in a bottom opening which is also preferably circular, as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

The distribution chute I9 is mounted for adjustable rotation about a vertical axis which coincides with the axis of the discharge opening of the main spout [6, said distribution chute i8 being so mounted on a vertical shaft 2|] the axis of which is coincidental with said upright axis. The bottom of the shaft 29 is mounted in a supporting bearing 2| which is carried on a horizontal member of the frame H. Bracket means 22 rigidly connects the distribution chute I9 to the shaft 20.

From the above description it is obvious that by rotating the shaft 28 the radially displaced bottom discharge opening of the distribution chute IE will swing in an arc of a circle, the center of which is coincidental with the axis of the shaft 20 and the axis of the discharge opening of the main spout 56. Consequently the dis--' charge opening of the distribution chute l9 may be positioned to any one of a number of positions since it can be swung through an arc of approximately as suggested by Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Adjacent the bottom of the distribution chute IQ for any position of adjustment is a horizontal arcuate plate 23 (see Fig. 2) which is mounted on the frame H. The horizontal plate 23 extends through slightly greater than 180, terminating adjacent one of the flat side walls of the main housing 1!. The horizontal plate 23 aceaass is provided with a number of spaced round openings, three of which are seen at 2a in Fig. 2 of the drawings. There is an individual receiving chute 25 communicating with each of the openings 24, the upper end of each chute being rigidly attached to the plate 23 adjacent a selected opening 2 3.

It is thus evident that by swinging the distribution chute I9 material delivered to the spout 16 may be selectively delivered to any one of a plurality of individual receiving chutes 25, three of which are illustrated in the drawings, the number, of course, being variable.

In view of the fact that in many installations it is desirable to feed materialwhich is quite fine and thus tends to form dust, some of which may be dangerous to the health, such as glass dust or sand dust, or, for the general purpose oi preventing undesirable dust; in carrying out the invention in its most complete aspect, I prefermay provide seals for the two ends or the asjustable distributibn chute i9 Adjacent the top of said distribution chute Hi there is a labyrinth seal26 which includes a circular trough 2? which is open at the top and thus capable oi carrying aliquid-like material which will provide a very tightseal with the downwardly projecting ring 7 of theupper portion 28 of said labyrinth seal In some instances where the more perfect seal is not required this fliiidlilie material may be vided it will normally accumulate and thus auto- 1" matically form by the fine material being dis- G'uide means is provided for the upper end oi the distribution chute F9 which cooperates with the shaft 2!] and bearing 21 to maintain it in proper position while permitting its free rotary adjustment about said upright axis said guide means includes a square frame 2'9 which is rigidly-attached to the main frame ii, upon which there are pairs of diametrically opposite rollers 38 mounted for rotation on upright axes and having rolling engagement with the outer surface of the upper cylindrical portion of said distribution chute 1-3. v

To provide the preferred-seal between the lower end of the chute i9 and any one of the selected receiving chutes 25, the arcuate horizontal plate 2-3 has an arcuate labyrinth seal at each edge, the outer labyrinth seal being designated 3| and the inner labyrinth seal being designated It is evident that these labyrinth seals 3i and 32 are not continuous because as seen by reference to Fig 2 of the drawings they merely cover a portion of the periphery of the bottom portion or discharge chute l9 and they extend through the circumferential dimension of the arcuate' plate 23. The construction of these seals, except for the fact that they are not continuous circles, is similar to that of labyrinth seal 26, and in the more complete aspect of my invention includes the fiuidlike sealing material, since the bottom portion of each of the seals 3| and 32 includes a trough capable of and adapted to hold such fluidlike sealing material.

To complete the seal between the bottom of the distribution chute I9 and any selected chute 25 there is a plate 33 rigidly attached to the bottom cylindrical portion of the chute l9 which is slightly spaced above the bottom edge thereof and has downwardly and radially extending 4 edges 34 (see Fig. 6), said radially extending edges 34 being radial with the axis of adjustment of the said distribution chute l9.

Each of the radial edges 34 carries a wiping mechanism 35, of rubber, leather or the like which is rigidly attached thereto and the bottom of which has wiping contact with the upper surface of the plate 23. 7

It is thus evident that the two labyrinth seals 3| and 32 cooperate with the wiping seals 34 and 35 to provide a sealed communication between thejbottom of the distribution chute l9 and any selected receiving chute 25.

The complete discharge assembly including the distribution chute I9 and the top and bottom seals 26, 3! and 32, etc., is covered by a top arcuate proclivious hood or housing 36. The top of said hood 36 is rigidly attached to the frame ll particularly by being rigidly attached to the main spout [6, the bottom thereof being rigidly attached to the-horizontal arcuate plate 23 and to the several receiving chutes 25.

The swinging adjustment of the discharge chute I9 to any one of the several positions to which it may be selectively adjusted is efiected by control mechanism for rotating the shaft 25 This control mechanism includes a large gear 3'! (see Figs. 3 and 4) keyed to the shaft 28 and driven by a pinion gear 38 (see Fig. 4) carried on the upper end of an operating shaft Bil which near its bottom carries a hand wheel ct, said hand Wheel 40 being within ready reach of an operator on the supporting floor M for the elevator 10. The aforementioned driving motor I? is carried on a platform 42 near the top of the elevator Iii, access to which is gained by a ladder :33 having a protectir'ig cage 54.

In the operation of the device the hand wheel M3 may be adjusted, thereby to swing the distribution chute l9 so that its discharge opening cooperates with any selected one of the receiving chutes 25. The labyrinth seals 26, SI, '52, 35, etc., provide a dust seal to prevent contamination of the air and when there is a fiuidlike substance carried by each of the troughs of said seals 26, 3| and 32 these seals will be substantially airtight since the wiping seals 35 preferably extend radially to have wiping engagement not only with the plate 23 but with the adjacent vertical 'arcuate members of each or the seals 31 and 32.

This complete sealing very important, parscope of the invention as defined by the claims 7 hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise construction herein disclosed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

' 1. Distribution mechanism for an elevator including an inclined distribution chute having a reed opening and a discharge opening, means mounting said distribution chute for swinging movement on an upright axis passing through said feed opening, said distribution chute discharge opening thereby being adjustable to various positions all radially positioned from said upright axis, means including a plate providing a plurality or horizontally spaced receiving openings adapted selectively to have communication with the discharge opening of said inclined distribution chute, labyrinth type seal means providing a seal between the bottom of said inclined distribution chute and the selected receiving opening, said labyrinth seal means including said arcuate plate having spaced openings, inner and outer arcuate labyrinth seal means having centers at said upright axis, said labyrinth seals including radially spaced arcuate troughs constructed to hold fluid like sealing means, and flexible wiping strips adjacent substantially opposite radial sides of said inclined distribution chute and connected thereto and having wiping engagement with said horizontal plate.

2. Distribution mechanism for an elevator in cluding an inclined distribution chute having a feed opening and a discharge opening, means mounting said distribution chute for swinging movement on an upright axis passing through said feed opening, said distribution chute discharge opening thereby being adjustable to various positions all radially positioned from said upright axis, means including a plate providing a plurality of horizontally spaced receiving openings adapted selectively to have communication with the discharge opening of said inclined distribution chute, labyrinth type seal means providing a seal between the bottom of said inclined distribution chute and the selected receiving opening, said labyrinth seal means including said arcuate plate having spaced openings, inner and outer arcuate labyrinth seal means having centers at said upright axis, and flexible wiping strips adjacent opposite sides of said inclined distribution chute and extending between said inner and outer arcuate labyrinth seal means, said wiping strips connected thereto and having wiping engagement with said horizontal plate.

3. Distribution mechanism for an elevator including an inclined distribution chute having a circular feed opening and a discharge opening, means mounting said distribution chute for swinging movement on an upright axis passing through said feed opening, said distribution chute discharge opening thereby being adjustable to various positions all radially positioned from said upright axis, means including a horizontal plate providing a plurality of horizontally spaced receiving openings adapted selectively to have communication with the discharge opening of said inclined distribution chute, means providing a seal between the bottom of said inclined distribution chute and the selected receiving opening,

said seal means including said horizontal plate having spaced openings, inner and outer arcuate overlapping trough and ring seal means having centers at said upright axis, and flexible wiping strips adjacent opposite sides of said inclined distribution chute and connected thereto and having wiping engagement with said horizontal plate, said strips extending between said inner and outer arcuate seal means.

4. Distribution mechanism for an elevator including an inclined distribution chute having a feed opening and a discharge opening, means mounting said distribution chute for swinging movement on an upright axis passing through said feed opening, said distribution chute discharge opening thereby being adjustable to various -positions all radially positioned from said upright axis, means including a horizontal plate providing a plurality of spaced receiving openings adapted selectively to have communication with the discharge opening of said inclined distribution chute, labyrinth type seal means pro viding a seal between the bottom of said inclined distribution chute and the selected receiving opening, said labyrinth seal means including said horizontal plate having spaced openings, and inner and outer arcuate labyrinth seal means having centers at said upright axis.

5. Distribution mechanism for an elevator including an inclined distribution chute having a circular feed opening and a discharge opening, means mounting said distribution chute for swinging movement on an upright axis, said distribution chute discharge opening being adjustable to various positions all radially positioned from said upright axis, means including a plate providing a plurality of receiving openings adapted selectively to have communication with the discharge p g of said inclined distribu-- tion chute, and seal means including a labyrinth type seal providing a seal between the bottom of said inclined distribution chute and the selected receiving opening.

6. Distribution mechanism for an elevator including a main chute having a circular discharge opening, an inclined distribution chute having a circular receiving opening communicating with said main chute discharge opening and a dis charge opening spaced below and radially thereof, means mounting said distribution chute for free movement on the axis of said main chute discharge opening, a labyrinth seal interconnecting said main chute and said distribution chute and providing a trough adapted to hold fluid like sealing material, and guide means for the top of said distribution chute including spaced rollers mounted for rotation on upright axes and having rolling contact with the outside thereof.

7. Distribution mechanism for an elevator in cluding a main chute having a circular discharge opening, an inclined distribution chute having a receiving opening communicating with said main chute discharge opening and a discharge opening spaced below and radially thereof, means mounting said distribution chute for free move ment on the axis of said main chute discharge opening, a labyrinth seal interconnecting said main chute and said distribution chute, and guide means for the top of said distribution chute including spaced rollers mounted for rotation on upright axes and having rolling contact with the outside thereof.

FRANKLIN J. LE ROY.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 685,354 Smead Oct; 29, 1901 1,031,778 Emtman July 7, 1912 1,224,241 Van Ness May 1, 1917 1,879,626 Mendenhall et a1. Sept. 27, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,451 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1896 

